Bulgarian or Afghan knife?

ariel · 8th January 2019, 12:28 AM

Balkan.
I have an early Algerean flissa that is very much yataghan-like, but the differences are obvious.
Balkan karakulaks are massive and kind of crude, while Algerean are more elegant and carry elements that later on migrated to full-fledged flissas: doghead pommel of the handle, deeply carved blade decorations and very pointy and sharp tip..

I tend to believe that both stemmed from a classical Ottoman yataghan, but the interpretations were very different.

Top: Balkan ( likely Bulgarian) Karakulak, with Cyrillic initials and date “1838”

Bottom: early Algerian flissa.

8th January 2019, 12:28 AM	#8
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Balkan. I have an early Algerean flissa that is very much yataghan-like, but the differences are obvious. Balkan karakulaks are massive and kind of crude, while Algerean are more elegant and carry elements that later on migrated to full-fledged flissas: doghead pommel of the handle, deeply carved blade decorations and very pointy and sharp tip.. I tend to believe that both stemmed from a classical Ottoman yataghan, but the interpretations were very different. Top: Balkan ( likely Bulgarian) Karakulak, with Cyrillic initials and date “1838” Bottom: early Algerian flissa. Attached Images